HMS, later HMCS Caldwell, destroyer

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SERVICE HISTORIES of ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS in WORLD WAR 2
by Lt Cdr Geoffrey B Mason RN (Rtd) (c) 2005

HMS, later HMCS CALDWELL (I 20) - ex-US Destroyer
including Convoy Escort Movements

Edited by Gordon Smith, Naval-History.Net

HMS Chelsea, Type B sister-ship, while in USN service (click to enlarge)

Ex USS HALE (Type B - CALDWELL-Class) built by Bath Iran Works. The ship was laid down on 7th October 1918 and launched on 29th May 1919. Commissioned on 12th June 1919 for US naval service she was held in Reserve in 1939. The ship transferred to the RN under the UK/US Lend Lease Agreement on 3rd September 1940 and commissioned as HMS CALDWELL at Halifax, Canada on 9th September 1940. The name is common to several towns in USA and one in Renfrewshire, Scotland. It had not previously been used for an RN ship. After a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in February 1942 she was adopted by the civil community of Caerphilly, Glamorgan.

B a t t l e H o n o u r s

ATLANTIC 1940-43

H e r a l d i c D a t a

Badge: On a Field Blue, a roundel per fess wavy barry of six White and Black

and White, in chief three piles wavy White and in base a hurt thereon a

mullet White

D e t a i l s o f W a r S e r v i c e

(for more ship information, go to Naval History Homepage and type name in Site Search)

1 9 4 0

September

Prepared for transfer to RN control.

9th - Commissioned as HMS CALDWELL at Halifax.

Passage to Devonport via St. Johns, Newfoundland.

28th - Taken in hand for refit to suit RN use as convoy escort.

Nominated for service in Western Approaches.

October

On completion of post refit trials took passage to Liverpool. (Note: Compared with other TOWN Class destroyers the refit period was short.)

15th - Under repair at Liverpool to remedy defects found on passage.

Joined 17th Destroyer Flotilla at Liverpool on completion.

23rd - Part of escort for Convoy OB233. (Note: This ship was first of the TOWN Class to be deployed operationally. For dates of convoys see ALLIED CONVOYS SYSTEM IN WW2 by A Hague.)

27th - Detached from OB233 on dispersal and returned to Liverpool.

November

Western Approach deployment in continuation.

December

Transferred to 5th Escort Group for Atlantic convoy defence. Sustained structural damage due to weather conditions.

1 9 4 1

January

Under repair. Prepared for work-up and took passage to Tobermory.

February

Worked-up at Tobermory. (Note: This may have been required because of change of ship's company or due to lack of performance during previous escort duties.)

Rejoined Group on completion.

10th - Part of escort for Convoy OB284 with ships of Group

March to May

Atlantic escort duties with Group in continuation.

June

Nominated for refit at Cardiff to complete modifications required to suit RN service and for essential repair and maintenance.

6th - Taken in hand for refit at commercial shipyard in Cardiff.

July

Under refit.

August

Carried out post refit trials.

21st - Resumed Atlantic convoy escort duties with Group.

September to October

Deployed with Group for Atlantic convoy defence.

November

Part of escort for outward Convoy ON34.

December

Part of escort for outward Convoy ON41 and inward HX162.

1 9 4 2

January

Part of escort for outward Convoy ONS48 and returned as escort for inward Convoy SC60. Nominated for transfer to St Johns Newfoundland to supplement the Western Local Escort Force. (Note: This deployment was made in view of the increase of U-Boat activity off east coasts of Canada and USA. See THE BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC by D Macintyre, U-BOAT WAR IN THE ATLANTIC (HMSO) and HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair for details.)

February

Part of escort for outward Convoy ONS56 and inward SC64. Passage to join WLEF.

21st - Joined RCN Escort Force at St Johns. Deployed for escort of convoys from Halifax to St Johns.

March to May

Deployed for escort of tanker traffic between Aruba and Halifax, NS.

June to July

Under refit at Boston, Mass.

B e l i e v e d S t a r t o f S e r v i c e a s H M C S C A L D W E L L

August

Resumed duties at St Johns for escort of convoys to and from Halifax.

14th - Sustained minor structural damage in collision with rms AQUITANlA.

September to November

Local Escort deployment in continuation.

December

Deployed for escort of Atlantic convoy from St Johns to Iceland.

12th to 18th - Sustained major structural damage in hurricane force winds and forced to heave to. Reverted to hand steering when system failed. Continual repair periods required to control flooding. Unable to make forward way to westward. Fuel running short.

19th - Able to proceed at 10 knots and tug despatched from Newfoundland.

20th - HM Destroyer WANDERER and HM Canadian Destroyer SKEENA joined but weather prevented tow and ships oil fuel supply not sufficient to allow use of propulsion machinery.

21st - Fuel on board exhausted and furniture used for boilers.

22nd - Under tow by tug for 126 mile passage to St Johns.

24th - Arrived at St Johns.

1 9 4 3

January

Examination showed turbine bearings defective and repair not possible locally.

18th - Passage under tow of tug FOUNDATION FRANKLIN to Boston. (Note: HM Canadian Minesweeper WASSAGA provided escort.). Encountered heavy weather and tow parted. Line passed to provide stern tow. Second towing attempt failed and violent movement of ship in storm conditions caused injuries.

19th to 21st - Tug left ship for Louisberg. Ship drifted into Atlantic. Conditions deteriorated on board due to incessant storm conditions.

22nd - HM Canadian Destroyer COLUMBIA joined and with assistance from HMCS WASSAGA tow by the destroyer was established.

23rd - Passage to Halifax under tow.

24th - Arrived at Halifax.

27th - Passage to Boston under tow by tug BLACK CHIEF.

28th - Forced to shelter at Shelbourne due to weather conditions.

31st - Arrived at Boston for repair.

February

Taken in hand for repair.

March

Under repair.

April

Carried out post repair harbour trials.

May

1st - Carried out sea trials on completion of dockyard work. Prepared for convoy escort duty in Western Escort Force at St Johns.

June to November

Deployed at St Joins for convoy escort. Nominated for return to UK. (Note: TOWN-Class destroyers were being placed in reserve as new construction escorts became available from build.)

December

Passage to UK via Azores.

29th - Arrived in Tyne to reduce to reserve status.

1 9 4 4

January

Paid-off and de-stored.

February to December

Laid up in reserve in Tyne. (Note: Further service as an Air Target Ship not needed.)

1 9 4 5

January to February

Laid up In Reserve in Tyne.

Placed on Disposal List.

March

20th - Sold to Granton Shipbreaking for demolition.

April to May

Held in Tyne pending collection.

June

6th - Arrived in tow at breaker's yard in Granton, near Edinburgh.

Addendum

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS CALDWELL

by Don Kindell

These convoy lists have not been cross-checked with the text above


Date Convoy Sailed	Joined Convoy as Escort	Convoy No.	Left convoy	Date Convoy Arrived

23/10/40	23/10/40	OB 233	27/10/40	27/10/40
16/10/40	27/10/40	HX 081	01/11/40	02/11/40
18/11/40	19/11/40	OG 046	24/11/40	05/12/40
04/11/40	24/11/40	SL 054	25/11/40	26/11/40
16/12/40	16/12/40	OB 260	18/12/40	19/12/40
09/12/40	18/12/40	HG 048	23/12/40	23/12/40
09/02/41	10/02/41	OB 284	13/02/41	14/02/41
31/01/41	14/02/41	SC 021	16/02/41	18/02/41
26/02/41	26/02/41	OB 291	03/03/41	03/03/41
10/02/41	04/03/41	SL 065	08/03/41	08/03/41
27/03/41	27/03/41	OG 057	01/04/41	11/04/41
06/04/41	06/04/41	OB 308	11/04/41	13/04/41
31/03/41	13/04/41	HX 118	18/04/41	18/04/41
20/04/41	04/05/41	HX 122	08/05/41	08/05/41
12/05/41	13/05/41	OB 322	18/05/41	20/05/41
06/05/41	19/05/41	HX 125A	22/05/41	22/05/41
23/08/41	23/08/41	OS 004	28/08/41	11/09/41
18/08/41	30/08/41	HG 071	01/09/41	02/09/41
25/08/41	11/09/41	SL 085	17/09/41	17/09/41
02/09/41	12/09/41	HG 072	17/09/41	17/09/41
14/09/41	19/09/41	CF 002B	20/09/41	20/09/41
25/09/41	26/09/41	ON 020	30/09/41	09/10/41
24/09/41	04/10/41	SC 046	10/10/41	10/10/41
30/10/41	30/10/41	CT 005	02/11/41	08/11/41
25/10/41	02/11/41	CARGO	04/11/41	04/11/41
07/11/41	07/11/41	ON 034	12/11/41	21/11/41
04/11/41	20/11/41	SC 053	24/11/41	24/11/41
27/11/41	30/11/41	ON 041	04/12/41	11/12/41
27/11/41	07/12/41	HX 162	11/12/41	11/12/41
19/12/41	19/12/41	ON 048	24/12/41	31/12/41
16/12/41	27/12/41	SC 060	31/12/41	31/12/41
12/01/42	12/01/42	ON 056	16/01/42	16/01/42
17/01/42	29/01/42	SC 065	30/01/42	04/02/42
28/02/42	28/02/42	SC 072	07/03/42	17/03/42
25/02/42	11/03/42	ON 070	15/03/42	15/03/42
21/03/42	22/03/42	HX 181	25/03/42	02/04/42
23/03/42	01/04/42	ON 079	06/04/42	07/04/42
06/05/42	06/05/42	TH NN1	17/05/42	17/05/42
01/06/42	01/06/42	XB 023	03/06/42	03/06/42


and as HMCS CALDWELL

02/08/42	02/08/42	HX 201	05/08/42	14/08/42
31/07/42	10/08/42	ON 117	13/08/42	15/08/42
06/09/42	06/09/42	HX 206	09/09/42	18/09/42
29/08/42	13/09/42	ON 126	16/09/42	18/09/42
19/09/42	22/09/42	SC 102	23/09/42	06/10/42
18/09/42	28/09/42	ON 131	02/10/42	04/10/42
25/09/42	08/10/42	ON 133	11/10/42	11/10/42
16/10/42	16/10/42	SC 106	20/10/42	05/11/42
11/10/42	26/10/42	ON 137	29/10/42	29/10/42
01/11/42	01/11/42	SC 108	04/11/42	19/11/42
03/11/42	07/11/42	HX 214	08/11/42	18/11/42
31/10/42	13/11/42	ON 142	18/11/42	21/11/42
09/11/42	22/11/42	ON 145	25/11/42	25/11/42
05/12/42	07/12/42	HX 218	11/12/42	21/12/42
04/12/42	13/12/42	SC 112	16/12/42	25/12/42
06/05/43	06/05/43	BX 049	08/05/43	08/05/43
07/06/43	09/06/43	HX 243	12/06/43	21/06/43
10/06/43	20/06/43	ON 188	24/06/43	26/06/43
23/06/43	25/06/43	HX 245	26/06/43	07/07/43
08/07/43	08/07/43	SC 136	13/07/43	23/07/43
03/07/43	15/07/43	ONS 012	18/07/43	18/07/43
18/07/43	18/07/43	XB 064	20/07/43	20/07/43
31/07/43	09/08/43	ON 195	11/08/43	13/08/43
06/08/43	20/08/43	ONS 015	21/08/43	21/08/43
01/09/43	12/09/43	EN 200	15/09/43	18/09/43
22/09/43	24/09/43	HX 258	28/09/43	06/10/43
22/09/43	03/10/43	ON 203	07/10/43	10/10/43
26/09/43	14/10/43	ONS 019	14/10/43	14/10/43
06/11/43	08/11/43	HX 265	10/11/43	21/11/43
31/10/43	13/11/43	ON 209	15/11/43	17/11/43
26/11/43	26/11/43	HX 268	29/11/43	11/12/43

(Note on Convoys)

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revised 5/7/11
further editing is required

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